EPOXY Regrets!!

[TheShrine]

I put down EPOXY when my build was new in 2008. It served me well .... at first. Not so much now days!

I'm considering a Race Deck/Gladiator/ Garage Trac like product.

My questions are:
1) What are some "regrets" from users of such products? Why would you NOT do it again?
2) What would you do different from an installation perspective if you did it again?
3) I have opposing garage doors. What challenges will this present in lining up the tiles?
4) I have a 2 post lift with a drain in the slab under it. Will the tiles lay down correctly due to the slight down slanting area around the drain?
5) Will the transition from the shop's (Black/white) 12 X 12 tile be a toe stumbling height difference?

I have many more questions but this will get me off the fence on my decision. Also, please, feel free to share any concerns or questions. I'm posting some pics (old and newish pics) of my shop/garage space for reference.

 

[Jsf721]

I had a bad experience too. I got 3 local references and went to see one in person. Reference floor down for over a year when I saw it.

Mine started peeling after 3 plus years. I had a 5 year warranty and that was of no good because the guy changed the name of is company and dodged me. The floor is OK in 60% but not in 40%. I think I has to do with poor mixing as there is uncured amber ooze that I can work out. I never dried or hardens. Not a huge amount each time but its a mess to clean up.

Nobody wants to fix this short of regrinding it and starting over. I am into this 1200 sq ft floor for 5K at this time and I don't want to invest more !

I will be doing good quality paint myself or installing Porcelain tiles.

 

[Shea]

I put down EPOXY when my build was new in 2008. It served me well .... at first. Not so much now days!

I'm considering a Race Deck/Gladiator/ Garage Trac like product.

My questions are:
1) What are some "regrets" from users of such products? Why would you NOT do it again?
2) What would you do different from an installation perspective if you did it again?
3) I have opposing garage doors. What challenges will this present in lining up the tiles?
4) I have a 2 post lift with a drain in the slab under it. Will the tiles lay down correctly due to the slight down slanting area around the drain?
5) Will the transition from the shop's (Black/white) 12 X 12 tile be a toe stumbling height difference?

I have many more questions but this will get me off the fence on my decision. Also, please, feel free to share any concerns or questions. I'm posting some pics (old and newish pics) of my shop/garage space for reference.

Nice garage! Almost 14 years with the epoxy flooring... that's a fairly long period. Out of curiosity, can you elaborate a bit on what the issue/s were? What type of epoxy system did you apply?

14 years is going to be a long time for an interlocking tile system as well. I'm sure you can expect to have some issues over a time span like that too.

I'll try to answer some of your questions.

3) As long as you use 12" tiles it should not pose a big issue. You will need to measure things out ahead of time so that you can center the flooring from one door to the other. For example, divide the measurement in inches by 12 to get the total number of whole tiles required. From that, determine what the remaining inches are. You then need to factor in 1.75" each for the two edge ramps that will be required. If you have inches remaining, divide that in half and that is the distance required from the edge of each door when you lay out the floor. If you don't have enough inches remaining for the edge ramps, then you will need to delete one 12" tile and recalculate. Regardless, the number should always be less than 6" from each door, but hopefully much closer. If you use larger format tiles, the distance could be greater.

4) Unless the transition is very gradual, they are not going to lay flush with the floor if that is what you are hoping for. You will have areas where the tile does not contact the floor and will flex as you walk or drive over them. Walking over that area may create a click-clack type of sound, but that's it.

5) Not if you use the edge ramps. They rise 1" over 1.75". It would not be any different than walking into the garage from an open garage door.

Hope that helps!

 

[65Goat]

^^^

 

[beemerphile]

5) Will the transition from the shop's (Black/white) 12 X 12 tile be a toe stumbling height difference?

Racedeck has transition strips that address the elevation change to adjacent flooring...

https://racedeck.com/racedeck-garage-floors-and-tiles/racedeck-edges/

 

[CJDave]

If I had to do my floor over I would do it in Race Deck. Again. After 7 years I have not 1 complaint about my Race Deck FreeFlow. I have no regrets about the installation. If the slope around the drain is a problem the tiles maybe can be made to conform to the floor by using a heat gun on them? The bevel border tiles should take care of your transition concern. CJDave.

 

[twouvakind]

IDK about the rest of you but I am glad I have seen what the OP has to say about epoxy. Needless to say, I was on the fence....now I see the simplicity (and longevity) of a race deck style floor if I ever pull the trigger.

 

[CJDave]

As I have stated elsewhere in this forum, the bulk of the threads in the Flooring section seem to be complaints about liquid coatings. Bubbles, peeling, smell that won't go away, surface prep, pulling up after parking on it, waiting days or longer to park or walk on it. I washed my 35 year old garage floor with a hose and some car wash soap. SWMBO and I laid the 500sf in about 2 1/2 hours. We spent nearly as much time moving all of the sh*t out of the garage and back in after than we spent laying the floor. ABSOLUTELY no regrets. Most importantly, match your flooring choice to the activity that will take place in there. CJDave.

 

[buddha2364]

OP, very cool space you have. Have you considered the Polyurea coatings? Zero experience, but contempating this solution myself.

I washed my 35 year old garage floor with a hose and some car wash soap. SWMBO and I laid the 500sf in about 2 1/2 hours. We spent nearly as much time moving all of the sh*t out of the garage and back in after than we spent laying the floor. ABSOLUTELY no regrets.

Question CDDave, is it possible to lose a screw or something in your flooring system? Things get dropped all the time, so just curious. How does a jack roll across the stuff and can you put a car up on jackstands? As you mention, flooring should match your activity, and my floor handles it all.

 

[Mattilac]

Not to hijack the thread, but what's the deal with RaceDeck? Why does everyone like it so much?

I've never had anything besides a plain old concrete floor.

 

[Spacep0d]

Not to hijack the thread, but what's the deal with RaceDeck? Why does everyone like it so much?

I've never had anything besides a plain old concrete floor.

1. Easy to get it down.
2. No odor, no cure time, no failure to cure, did I mention odor, no 'shortcuts' that can be taken by an installer leading to a nightmare.
3. Looks amazing; custom colors and patterns.
4. Modular, removable, easily cut, easy to replace a tile, can take it with you if/when you move
5. Looks better than stained concrete, especially if those stains aren't yours (inherited from seller or anyone else).
6. Chemical-resistant/easy to clean.
7. 'Polished' look for an upgraded garage. I'm not done installing yet but man it looks great. I also like a nice epoxy/polyurea floor but I'm incredibly sensitive to odors (like seriously I could be a sommelier).

 

[CJDave]

OP, very cool space you have. Have you considered the Polyurea coatings? Zero experience, but contempating this solution myself.



Question CDDave, is it possible to lose a screw or something in your flooring system? Things get dropped all the time, so just curious. How does a jack roll across the stuff and can you put a car up on jackstands? As you mention, flooring should match your activity, and my floor handles it all.

I have not "lost " anything so far. I do keep a small magnet and a hemostat for reaching into the slots to retrieve things. I had a major malfunction in my Mustang's 428 CobraJet motor a few years ago. I used floor jacks, a engine hoist and rolled my tool box around with ease. One caution that I have made here before is to check the bottom s of the jack stand legs. Some have a rolled under edge. Some have no such rolled under edge and those will mar the tiles when under load. When I bought my RaceDeck I had no intention of doing heavy work in the garage. Mostly a man cave but it is nice to know that the flooring will hold up to some heavy work. Taking reasonable care of course. CJDave.

 

[gatewaysysop]

As I have stated elsewhere in this forum, the bulk of the threads in the Flooring section seem to be complaints about liquid coatings. Bubbles, peeling, smell that won't go away, surface prep, pulling up after parking on it, waiting days or longer to park or walk on it.

I've noticed this as well. I don't judge and I dig the looks of epoxy and other floor coatings, but it's not something I'd ever roll the dice on. Too many horror stories here and elsewhere. I'm happy when it works out for people and looks nice, but I'm never surprised when another "epoxy regret" thread pops up.

 

[CJDave]

I've noticed this as well. I don't judge and I dig the looks of epoxy and other floor coatings, but it's not something I'd ever roll the dice on. Too many horror stories here and elsewhere. I'm happy when it works out for people and looks nice, but I'm never surprised when another "epoxy regret" thread pops up.

I don't mean to sound critical of anyone's flooring choice for their garage. Your garage. Your choice. One more thing that I like about my floor is traction. My neighbor has a DIY epoxy on his floor. I help him at times year-round and mostly in his garage. That floor is like greased ice when it is wet. I wash the Mustang in my garage. I'm usually barefooted when I do and my floor is no where near as slippery as his. The water drains quickly through the Free Flow where it tends to puddle on his floor. Drainage is important for me as her daily driver drags in rain, snow, slush, ice, and grit. All of that melts/drains off her car and under the tiles and out under the overhead door. CJDave.

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi, we offer epoxies, polyureas, and our industrial grade solid PVC www.supratile.com. We sell tons of all of them. Please contact us directly below for individual support (not PM please) and we can respond to all of your questions and concerns.

We can tell you we have tens of thousands of satisfied customers using both epoxies/coatings and tiles. Tiles are much more expensive/sq ft than epoxy but go down much, much faster and have literally zero chance of failure (we offer lifetime warranty on tiles).

Thank you very much.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Not an epoxy fan? Come check out the world of Polyurea!!

Nohr-S® Polyurea Kit Pigmented | Legacy Industrial

www.legacyindustrial.co

 

[PoorUB]

I have epoxy on my shop floor and would do it again without question. Don't blame the product if you are having trouble, blame the installer.
My floor is 25 years old, looks like **** and needs to be redone. But I have been doing auto repair, welding and painting in that shop so it should be beat up. If it was tile they would have been in tha landfill a long time ago.

 

[Spacep0d]

I have epoxy on my shop floor and would do it again without question. Don't blame the product if you are having trouble, blame the installer.
My floor is 25 years old, looks like **** and needs to be redone. But I have been doing auto repair, welding and painting in that shop so it should be beat up. If it was tile they would have been in tha landfill a long time ago.

That's the problem....for those who don't know the chemistry or process...it's a roll of the dice if you hire someone else and DIY has plenty of room for error too based on humidity, concrete prep, mistakes, etc.

I love the look of a nicely-installed epoxy or polyurea floor but the risks, the odor, the cure time (if it cures)....all freak me right out. It doesn't help that I have the nose of a sommelier. I couldn't live with outgassing...especially if I didn't know how long it would last....and if that odor got into my car I'd be really upset.

Plastic tiles can probably be recycled I'm guessing.

 

[tncatadjuster]

Epoxy is great if done right, I have floors that are 25 years old and look great, with lots of use.

 

[thammel]

I have 2 garages. I put down HD Rustoleum epoxy on the first garage maybe 15 years ago. It looks terrible and I regret doing that. On second garage I put down Armorpoxy 3 layer 100% solids 4 years ago. It still looks brand new. My only regret is that I didn't put down Armorpoxy on the other garage 15 years ago. When I redo it, that's what I'll put down. The anti-slip additive in the armorpoxy clear coat is very effective at preventing slips.

 

[TheShrine]

Nice garage! Thanks! It doesn't look anything like the posted pics any longer....except for the foot print. Almost 14 years with the epoxy flooring... that's a fairly long period. Out of curiosity, can you elaborate a bit on what the issue/s were? Full disclosure forces me to admit that ALL of the areas of concern were caused by myself. What started as accidents were exacerbated by welding, Plasma Cutters and continued dropping. What started as a "dimple" or "crack" progressed into full on abuse! What type of epoxy system did you apply? This stuff =

Garage Floor Epoxy

ArmorClad 100% Solids Garage Floor Epoxy is the Most Durable, Highest Performance Coating. Grab Your Garage Floor Epoxy Kit Today! Shop Now.

armorpoxy.com

14 years is going to be a long time for an interlocking tile system as well. That comment gives me pause!! I'm sure you can expect to have some issues over a time span like that too. Hmmmm ... I spend most of my "shop time" in a wheelchair and my skill sets, or lack of, won't change. Any of my shop floorings will receive equal abuse. **** happens!! I'm going to have to think about my options.

I'll try to answer some of your questions.

3) As long as you use 12" tiles it should not pose a big issue. You will need to measure things out ahead of time so that you can center the flooring from one door to the other. For example, divide the measurement in inches by 12 to get the total number of whole tiles required. From that, determine what the remaining inches are. You then need to factor in 1.75" each for the two edge ramps that will be required. If you have inches remaining, divide that in half and that is the distance required from the edge of each door when you lay out the floor. If you don't have enough inches remaining for the edge ramps, then you will need to delete one 12" tile and recalculate. Regardless, the number should always be less than 6" from each door, but hopefully much closer. If you use larger format tiles, the distance could be greater. My garage doors face 2 different directions on 2 different walls. Something tells me I'm in for some Fuzzy Math!

4) Unless the transition is very gradual, they are not going to lay flush with the floor if that is what you are hoping for. You will have areas where the tile does not contact the floor and will flex as you walk or drive over them. Walking over that area may create a click-clack type of sound, but that's it. "Click-clack" for sure!

5) Not if you use the edge ramps. They rise 1" over 1.75". It would not be any different than walking into the garage from an open garage door. I'm gonna look for possible after market options.

Hope that helps! Thanks! You helped a lot. Got me to think'n!!

 

[TheShrine]

I am a huge fan of epoxy, but I don't know much about tiles so I can't offer both perspectives.

A little off topic, but your garage looks great. Thanks! Are you happy with the OSB board over drywall?

Early in my build I got a lot of negative comments concerning my OSB. My entire structure is clad inside and out with OSB, The outside has Hardi-Plank over everything. There were comments concerning the smell and an unhealthy fear of it burning down. I've never experienced an "OSB smell" nor has it threatened to explode since I built it! With that.....wooden structures burn. If mine does it won't be because of the OSB. Each 4 X 8 OSB sheet was treated with a fire retardant before it was hung.

It was purpose built because I like(d) the look. The OSB was specifically ordered to be mark/blemish free and with NO lines. Each seam, wall and ceilings, are covered with a Cedar Batten. The outside OSB, under the Hardi-Plank, had the manufacturers markings. Saved me some $$$!

 

[TheShrine]

Racedeck has transition strips that address the elevation change to adjacent flooring...

https://racedeck.com/racedeck-garage-floors-and-tiles/racedeck-edges/

Thanks but the Racedeck transitions are thicker than the standard 12 X 12 tile I have in my shop. I may purchase a piece and see if there are mods I can make. Thanks again!

 

[TheShrine]

As I have stated elsewhere in this forum, the bulk of the threads in the Flooring section seem to be complaints about liquid coatings. Bubbles, peeling, smell that won't go away, surface prep, pulling up after parking on it, waiting days or longer to park or walk on it. I washed my 35 year old garage floor with a hose and some car wash soap. SWMBO and I laid the 500sf in about 2 1/2 hours. We spent nearly as much time moving all of the sh*t out of the garage and back in after than we spent laying the floor. ABSOLUTELY no regrets. Most importantly, match your flooring choice to the activity that will take place in there. CJDave.

None of those issues affected me. Mine was "abuse" =dropping things, welding, plasma cutter, etc.

 

[TheShrine]

Anyone with a Racedeck "like" product have experience with an occasional welding or plasma cutting blemish. If so ... describe damage. Obviously the damaged tile(s) can be replaced. I'm interested in the integrity of the product in such conditions.

Emphasis on "occasional"

Thanks

 

[Shea]

OK, that was good to know. The epoxy you applied is a great system. One advantage to interlocking tiles is that you can replace them one at a time if you damage one.

As far as the edge ramps go, one option is to use custom diamond plate. Wider widths can be had for a shallower ramp angle. Plus, you would not have to worry about the garage doors since the ramp attachment is not dependent upon the edge locking mechanisms of the tile. You can cut them how you please. This company here is an example of the diamond plate edge ramps.

 

[NakeDiesel]

How does the racedeck hold up to welding, cutting, rolling loaded down cherry pickers across it? I've done a concrete floor in epoxy for the legion's barroom. Was a ton of work to get it done.

How do you handle oil spills with racedeck?

How does it hold up to a skid steer hauling in loaded pallets of feed or concrete and turning on it?

How does it feel to lay on it while working on a vehicle?

I do a lot of work on things, from building things for the farm to race trucks and general maintenance on our fleet of vehicles. Right now I'm completely rebuilding my John Deere 4010 and this is an example of my floor all over the shop.

 

[MJK]

I had epoxy in 2 houses, and it started looking pretty poor after a couple years. I diamond ground it off my current house and put tile down. Still as good as Day 1 and very happy.

PEI 4 or 5 light gray. Works well. Use an elastic thinset and back butter everything.

 

[Kaizen]

Geez i must have lucked out with my budget epoxy job. I did it myself with a little knowledge from here and besides scratches and dropping things that chip concrete mine looks great after 5 years. Yes it was intimidating to have never done it before and yes i somehow did not mix one section well and had to scrape it up but i'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Durable Epoxy Floor Coatings For A Perfect Finish

Discover PerformanceDIY epoxy kits for garage floors, countertops, patios, and more. Durable, professional-grade, and easy to use. Shop now!

epoxy-coat.com

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Epoxy is great if done right, I have floors that are 25 years old and look great, with lots of use.

Same here! Has been used in industry forever and still is!

 

[Andy Smith Jr.]

I've heard of a lot of good epoxy stories and a lot of bad. I used Armorpoxy's system and it has held up great so far. I used a 2 part primer, 100% solids epoxy with color, and 2 part urethane topcoat. I flaked into the epoxy and wife and i still love the look. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Armorpoxy]

There are literally millions of satisfied users of epoxy floors in garages and it's an excellent choice for most applications. For something like the photo above post our www.supratile.com could handle that easily since we have 80,000 lb ladder trucks in fire houses parking on them.

 

[Samh]

I did epoxy at my first garage. It was some work, had to etch, then get up the dust, then wait for a hot day to apply. Used the 2 part Rust-Oleum that was available at HD back around 1999/2000. Had no issues with it outside of normal wear and tear, dropping things that chipped the concrete, or something getting stuck under the wheel of something and scratching it. Had no issues for the 15 years I had it before I moved. Because of the amount of prep work, how slick it was when wet, and what happened when chipped, I decided to do a densifier/sealer on the new garage floor. Prep was way easier, but I didn't do enough research into the product I used to see if it would be the desired finish I wanted.

 

[TheLurker]

Helped my friend put RaceDeck tiles in his garage and it looks great. Planning and accurate measurements before you order are key but it's pretty simple and it's pretty durable.

I have Legacy's epoxy in both my garages and my shop and it's pretty spot on. I did the work myself, learning as I went so the garage is good but the shop is better, but even so, it's still good after 7 years in the garages and 5 in the shop. The only problems I have are where I made mistakes. One thing I tell people when I recommend epoxy is (1) don't do the HD/Lowes Rustoleum stuff unless its just foot traffic and (2) skip the flakes and go heavier than you think is right in the traction additive. Flakes are pretty but if it's a work area you can't drop anything and expect to find it. And, as mentioned above, when epoxy is wet, it turns into a skating rink if you don't have enough of the sand in the top coat. There's a section in my garage that doesn't have enough traction additive and the kids like spraying water on it and playing on it...

There are pluses and minuses to both systems. I love my epoxy and he loves his tile. I like certain things about his tile and he likes certain things about my epoxy. Can't say that I've ever wished I'd done something different but I can say that tile is easier to manage, but way more expensive.

 

[rbahr]

Not meant to distract from the RaceDeck conversation, but after more than 20years of chemicals, dragging stuff, welding, tire turning, my epoxy floor is quite good. I also used real Aircraft Hanger paint that pretty much kills all lab rats for a 200 mile radius. Quite expensive when I originally did it. The Aircraft industry has some pretty high requirements. It also took me ~ week to install between sanding, etching, more sanding, and lots of prep work..

 

[nadogail]

Mrs Nadogail wanted her husbands first shop to show how proud she was that I now had a dedicated space of my own, she ordered an industrial grade of epoxy from a local vendor. I made some inquiries of a customer with whom I found a mutual acquaintance. The floor was everything he promised.
Then I bought an Arc Welder and in learning how to weld I managed to burn holes in the finish. a little paint camouflaged the holes, but I doubt that I will ever be forgiven. Mrs Nadogail has not set foot into the shop in about 17 years.

 

[Spacep0d]

Helped my friend put RaceDeck tiles in his garage and it looks great. Planning and accurate measurements before you order are key but it's pretty simple and it's pretty durable.

I have Legacy's epoxy in both my garages and my shop and it's pretty spot on. I did the work myself, learning as I went so the garage is good but the shop is better, but even so, it's still good after 7 years in the garages and 5 in the shop. The only problems I have are where I made mistakes. One thing I tell people when I recommend epoxy is (1) don't do the HD/Lowes Rustoleum stuff unless its just foot traffic and (2) skip the flakes and go heavier than you think is right in the traction additive. Flakes are pretty but if it's a work area you can't drop anything and expect to find it. And, as mentioned above, when epoxy is wet, it turns into a skating rink if you don't have enough of the sand in the top coat. There's a section in my garage that doesn't have enough traction additive and the kids like spraying water on it and playing on it...

There are pluses and minuses to both systems. I love my epoxy and he loves his tile. I like certain things about his tile and he likes certain things about my epoxy. Can't say that I've ever wished I'd done something different but I can say that tile is easier to manage, but way more expensive.

Somewhere hidden among the flakes is someone's long lost 10mm socket!

 

[Imatk]

I've never installed a polyurea floor before... I had one installed at my previous house and it was up for about 5 years and still looked great.

There were gouges in certain spots and a couple of areas where one layer of the clear had lifted, but I work on my cars A LOT so for what I do... it was awesome.

My new house, I did the floor myself because I wasn't crazy about the installer last time and wanted to do it myself so I knew I was following the proper steps.

Aside from one portion drying faster than I expected it went down really well and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

It's a lot of work, but it's a beautiful floor now where it was a dusty concrete before. And if I have to lay down on my back to do a job I don't have to worry about coming up nasty because the floor is very easy to clean and it's always cleaned after a job.

I personally wouldn't like race deck flooring for that reason... I wouldn't want to lay down on it for any period of time.

 

[ybnormal]

Then I bought an Arc Welder and in learning how to weld I managed to burn holes in the finish. a little paint camouflaged the holes, but I doubt that I will ever be forgiven. Mrs Nadogail has not set foot into the shop in about 17 years.

ahhhh, so that's how you get peace and quiet in the shop. I'll have to remember the old "accidentally" burn holes trick......

 

[rct]

I have nothing to add to the floor discussion, but wanted to say awesome garage and I think I still have the magazine it was featured in.